Peter Capaldi recently took fans by surprise when he announced that he’ll be stepping down from his starring role on Doctor Who at the end of the show’s upcoming season, and now the veteran actor is making his views known on who should serve as his replacement — and it’s pretty perfect.
When Capaldi was chosen as the twelfth Doctor back in 2013, it was amid some controversy. While no one doubted his credentials for the role, there was a sizable group of fans who felt it was time for the role of the Doctor to finally be given to a woman. That obviously didn’t happen in 2013, but it turns out Capaldi thinks it should in 2017. And he even has a specific actress in mind.
“The time felt right to bow out, to let somebody else play this wonderful role and I would like Frances de la Tour to be first female doctor,” Capaldi told The Mirror after making his big announcement. The 72-year-old actress is probably best known for her role as Madame Olympe Maxime, the half-giant object of Hagrid’s affections in the Harry Potter film series. She also has a long career on British television stretching back to the ’70s, and would no doubt be able to handle the pressures that go along with becoming the Doctor.
Warner Bros. Pictures
Another person who thinks it’s high time the Doctor was played by a woman is actress Billie Piper, who played the ninth Doctor’s companion Rose Tyler on the series from 2005 to 2006. “I’ve always supported the original format but I don’t know where they can go from here,” the 34-year-old told the BBC. “I think it would be great [to have a female Doctor] given the spirit of the world at the moment. I think it would be timely.” She also added it would “feel like a snub” if the show picked yet another man to fill the role.
However, there seems to be a good chance the series may do just that. Oddsmakers are currently suggesting Ben Whishaw, AKA James Bond’s Q, is the frontrunner, followed by The It Crowd‘s Richard Ayoade, who would be the first non-white Doctor, and another Bond star, Rory Kinnear. The first woman on the list, Spy star Miranda Hart, is currently considered the fourth most-likely to take the spot. De la Tour isn’t even on the list, even though highly-unlikely big stars like Helen Mirren and Idris Elba are, but maybe Capaldi’s endorsement will give the dark horse candidate a much-deserved boost.
Cover Image: BBC
